"Welcome to the final round of the Nationals. Today, Seigaku will be going against Dunman High. The two schools please proceed to the registration desk. Thank you."
Many different schools were already gathered around the court where the match was to be held. Everyone was chatting excitedly, with many murmuring about rumors they heard. People from the public had also arrived towatch the exciting match that they had heard about. Some younger children were heatedly discussing about the tennis players they'veknown about, each boasting about how great their idol was.
Some schools came to cheer while others came to jeer. Yet, the two competing schools had not arrived.
The sky was azure blue, not a cloud was seen. The wind blew gently now and then, providing a cool sensation from the sizzling sun.
A van pulled into view and stopped at the entrance. The first one to step out was…Ryuzaki sensei, followed by Tezuka and the rest of the team.
Stretching, Kikumaru smiled, "Nice day for a game!"
"Just perfect, isn't it? The wind?" Fuji's smile widened. Behind him, Inui just started muttering something about the weather.
Some people they did not know cheered loudly for them, and some whom they knew ran forward to wish them luck.
Fudomine was just wishing Seigaku luck when someone shouted, "Ann! Kippei!"
Both turned around at the sound of their names being called. "Rika!"
Ann ran forward and hugged Rika enthusiastically, while Rika just stood there, a look on her face showing that she regretted calling out to them.
Behind her was the Dunman High team. Tezuka nearly lost his composure as Kenita lifted a hand and waved, "Kunimitsu!"
He ignored his teammates' stares but returned a 'hi'.
'Ne, Tezuka, you never told us you had a girlfriend," Fuji smiled as he made his buchou as uncomfortable as possible.
"Buchou has a girlfriend…" Echizen purposely repeated. "Calls him by his name too…"
Tezuka resisted the urge to shout at them. Suddenly a hand was put out to him. "Yanagi Arita, captain of Dunman High tennis club."
Taking her hand into a firm handshake, he replied stoically, "Tezuka Kunimitsu, Seigaku."
Looking past her, Kenita smiled sweetly at him. "Vice-captain." Shaking his hand, she asked, "Who's the vice-captain of Seigaku?"
"Oishi," Tezuka replied, and somehow, Kenita managed to find the right person to shake hands.
For a while, everyone just stared at each other in silence, except for Rika and Hanajima. Both were just doing their own thing, Hanajima admiring her nails as usual while Rika looked bored as usual.
"If we don't get going now, none of us will win," Arita reminded all of them.
---
Tezuka wasn't spared by Fuji. He kept making small comments about Kenita and wouldn't stop hinting about him returning her wave when he usually ignored everyone.
---
Not too soon, the first game started. "Timika/Kirisawa against Momoshiro/Kaidoh!"
All through the doubles two game, Shimaya's mouth never stopped moving. She was always muttering continuously as Tanya felt the touching parts of the story. Sometimes, she would suddenly burst out laughing and then she would cry. Somehow or other, they managed to continue playing.
All these girlish play was driving Momoshiro and Kaidoh up the wall. Both were extremely irritated by the fact that the girls somehow ignored them as they muttered, cried, giggled and sighed.
One time, they were taken by surprise by Shimaya's 'Golden Hare' move, as she flew across the court speedily, Kaidoh constantly reminded of Kamio.
However, they kept up the game and however well Shimaya and Tanya played, they lost to Momoshiro and Kaidoh, 7-6.
Kenita leaned in to Arita, "I've never seen her so touched in the play before. What story did Shimaya come up this time?"
"I came up with the story, Kenita. You can ask her to show you the story if you want."
Tanya was still drying her eyes on a towel as they approached their buchou. It was hard to differentiate whether she was upset about the match or the story.
Suddenly, Tanya ran forward and pulled Kenita into a tight hug. "You must try your best, don't give up on him yet!"
Kenita had no idea what it was about, but seeing the smug look on Arita's face, she was sure of one thing, the story was about her.
---
Mingzashi and Kenrina won the doubles one game. Oishi and Kikumaru smiled at them as they thanked each other. Though Kikumaru still could not believe Kenrina's ballerina's skills, the ball seemed to be at her every command as she made her every move while he made his. Somehow the ball always seemed to fly past him when he was sure he could reach it.
"They've trained well, Tezuka. That pair is even passed our age's ability." Fuji commented, his sea blue eyes wide opened as Rika and Ryoma walked onto the court.
---
"That arrogant kid!" Marashi complained, staring at Rika as she stubbornly tried to get a point with her special move, no matter how many times Echizen had returned her ball.
"Echizen's arrogant as well," Kenita replied, still smiling. "Both of them make a good pair. An arrogant couple."
"Go get warmed up," Arita commanded and Kenita obeyed as she began stretching right beside her. Getting the usual help from her sister to do complete stretching, she was ready by the time Rika's game ended.
Rika had lost.
"Arrogant kids!" Marashi, Kenrina, Mingzashi, Shimaya and Tanya shouted together.
They were completely ignored by the both of them.
"Mada mada dane," Echizen smirked.
"Like you're any better," Rika kept her pride and walked off the court.
Two chapters up today... I hope that makes up for the wait... And I will definitely update tomorrow as well! I've finished the whole story anyway!
Alternate-Mysteries